Contents

History

Pre-Doomsday

The history of Georgia can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia, and it was one of the first countries to adopt Christianity, in the 4th century. Georgia reached the peak of its political and economic strength during the reign of King David and Queen Tamar in 11th and 12th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire. After a brief period of independence following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Georgia was annexed by Russian red army in 1921 and in 1922 Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union.

Doomsday

The cities of Tbilisi, Gudauta, Marneuli, and Batumi were destroyed by the blasts, as well as the major ports of Poti and Sukhumi.

Photo of the bomb that destroyed Tbilisi

Soviet Forces in Georgia received word just before the blasts from Moscow, ordering them to attack over the border into Turkey. These attacks were made, and in the few weeks that followed, savage and disorganized battles were fought along the mountainous border between the two sides. Eventually, after neither side received further instructions from their respective headquarters, their commanders arranged to meet under a white flag and established a ceasefire. Both sides then retreated from the border, and set about aiding the people. On the Georgian side of the border, this meant that the military joined with the few survivors of the civilian government in the city of Kuitasi, which became the capital.

This group announced on September 25, 1985 that they were officially declaring independence from the USSR. At the beginning, it was hard to keep control as a seemingly-unending amount of refugees crossed the borders of the new-found republic, and refugees from the blasts arrived elsewhere to worsen the situation. Abkazia set up its own government, based on the survivors from Sukhumi and the southern parts of Ossetia became more or less autonomous, aided somewhat by the government established in 1984 in North Ossetia.

The surviving government officials of this new government, still largely military men, met in Kuitasi to discuss a new government since there was no centralization after the destruction of nearly the entire government on Doomsday and the chaos that they had found themselves embroiled in. The Federation of Georgia was created as a result of this, which gave more freedom to the towns and cities and the various provinces, but also prevented more secession attempts, holding the state somewhat together.

Much of the territory claimed by Georgia east of Tbilisi was abandoned at this point by the government, and is only beginning to be recovered today.

Post-Doomsday

People in Kuitasi on September 26, 1989 commemorating all the deaths of Doomsday

Despite the fighting around Doomsday, most of the military - outside of the navy - remained intact. As a result, by 1990 the Federation was making inroads with the towns in South Ossetia - or so they thought - and had regained control over Abkazia, since most of the population of the area had been lost in the attacks and the following weeks.

In 1991, however, the South Ossetians declared independence, and in an action that had obviously been planned ahead of time, the Ossetian state to the north invaded. Soon they had managed to overrun much of South Ossetia. However, without any help from outside for the Ossetians, the Georgian military eventually managed to force them backward, but not back over the border - the Ossetian troops ended up controlling about half of the South Ossetian Republic, as well as small portions of Georgia proper.

In the end, a ceasefire was declared - neither one could really manage to conquer their objectives at that point, and given rumors from the Southwest, toward Turkey, and rumors of a war to the east in Azerbaijan, were fairly alarming to the Georgians, they wouldn't commit their modern weapons to the area, on the small amount of fuel that they possessed and were able to extract from the ground.

Government explorers in the uncontrolled areas of easternmost Georgia ran into a patrol from Azerbaijan near the old border between the two in 1998; they were informed about the situation and that the rumors had indeed been correct. They'd fought to a stalemate, like the Georgians and Ossetians had. But the Armenians had definitely had the better of it.

Contact was also made with a Turkish party, around the same time, that was based in the city of Trabzon. They claimed to be from the "Empire of Trabzon." After some questions, it was discovered that this emperor was in fact the military leader from the fighting in 1983. Arrangements were made to do trading between the two, and the Georgians agreed to help support them as best they could.

Accusations of electoral fraud in 2003, brought on by some heavy-handed military officers, caused popular protests in Kuitasi and the few other major cities in the republic. This was a serious showdown between the generals and the people, and for a time in looked like it would get ugly. Yet, in the end, the people came out on top, and new, free elections were held, with the opposition winning it handily. Reforms were then made which were hoped to strengthen the economy and military of the state, before the imperialistic and expansionist Turkish Sultanate got too close for comfort.

In 2005, Georgia finally re-established public radio. About at the same time, Siberia sent its first powerful transmissions into the Caucasus. The Georgians managed to get in contact with them, but their relations are extremely tense as the Georgians believe that the USSR will reclaim their country, like they have done to Aralia. However, Siberia claims that the massive land gap would prevent that, though no one outside the most rabid communist will believe that at all. Of note, however, is their blockage of LoN membership, and ongoing claim to the area.

Currently, in response to the USSR and to a certain extent the Turks as well, the Georgians are attempting to organize some sort of regional alliance, though this is proving very difficult, since Ossetia will not help them, and then Armenia and Azerbaijan will not join if the other is involved. It is likely that any such alliance will only be with one of the two nations, probably Armenia.

Georgia, along with Armenia, are currently funneling what supplies they have to the Wasteland state of Trabzon, in an effort to maintain a buffer between themselves and the Sultanate.

Georgia is not currently a member of the LoN, as the Siberians currently block their membership request.

Geography

The Federation of Georgia is divided into five cantons, two autonomous republics, and one District. The claimed areas of Georgia in the east are called under the constitution of Georgia the Eastern Autonomous Territory, and are largely controlled by military forces.

Culture

Georgian cross

Georgian culture evolved over thousands of years with its foundations in Iberian and Colchian civilizations, continuing into the rise of the unified Georgian Kingdom under the single monarchy of the Bagrationis. Georgian culture enjoyed a golden age and renaissance of classical literature, arts, philosophy, architecture and science in the 11th century.

The Georgian language, and the Classical Georgian literature of the poet Shota Rustaveli, were revived in the 19th century after a long period of turmoil, laying the foundations of the romantics and novelists of the modern era such as Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili, Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Vazha Pshavela, and many others. Georgian culture was influenced by Classical Greece, the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, and later by the Russian Empire which contributed to the European elements of Georgian culture.

Georgia is well known for its rich folklore, unique traditional music, theater, cinema, and art. Georgians are renowned for their love of music, dance, theater and cinema. In the 20th century there have been notable Georgian painters such as Niko Pirosmani, Lado Gudiashvili, Elene Akhvlediani; ballet choreographers such as George Balanchine, Vakhtang Chabukiani, and Nino Ananiashvili; poets such as Galaktion Tabidze, Lado Asatiani, and Mukhran Machavariani; and theater and film directors such as Robert Sturua,Tengiz Abuladze, Giorgi Danelia and Otar Ioseliani.

Architecture and Arts

Georgian architecture has been influenced by many civilizations. There are several different architectural styles for castles, towers, fortifications and churches.

Senaki Theater

The Upper Svaneti fortifications, and the castle town of Shatili in Khevsureti, are some of the finest examples of medieval Georgian castle architecture.

Georgian ecclesiastic art is one of the most fascinating aspects of Georgian Christian architecture, which combines classical dome style with original basilica style forming what is known as the Georgian cross-dome style. Cross-dome architecture developed in Georgia during the 9th century; before that, most Georgian churches were basilicas. Other examples of Georgian ecclesiastic architecture can be found outside Georgia: Bachkovo Monastery in Bulgaria (built in 1083 by the Georgian military commander Grigorii Bakuriani), Iviron monastery in Greece (built by Georgians in the 10th century), and the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem (built by Georgians in the 9th century).

Other architectural aspects of Georgia include Rustaveli avenue in Tbilisi in the Hausmann style, and the Old Town District.

The art of Georgia spans the prehistoric, the ancient Greek, Roman, medieval, ecclesiastic, iconic and modern visual arts. One of the most famous late nineteenth/early twentieth century Georgian artists is the painter Niko Pirosmani.

Religion

The main religion of Georgia is Georgian Orthodox, followed by Armenian and Russian Orthodox, and Sunni and Shi'a Islam. Atheism also is a considerable minority in the religious scene.

Politics and Government

The Federation of Georgia is headed by a President, elected every five years, and a Prime Minister, who is elected proportionately by the people every four years.

There are three main political parties in the country: The nationalist Movement for a United Georgia, the leftist Social Democratic Labour Party, and the conservative National Democratic Party.

The National Democratic Party currently controls the Presidency, since the 2011 elections, as well as the largest number of seats in Parliament, though not a majority. They took control of the Presidency from the Nationalists, and retained control of Parliament.

Parliament is led by the Prime Minister, the head of the largest party. Currently, this is held by Vano Merabishvili of the National Democratic Party. The President, of the same party, is Zurab Adeishvili, and the Vice-President is Raul Usupov.

The next parliamentary elections will be held in 2015, and the next presidential elections will be held in 2016. Giorgi Asanidze, a recently-elected Member of Parliament of the from his home city of Sachkhere, and a gold medal winner in weightlifting at the 2010 Europa Games, is considered to be a star on the rise.

Economy

Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and

Oranges

copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals.

Georgia has a serious need for natural gas and oil products as its only internal energy source is hydro-electric power and the small amount of gas and oil reserves underground are used for the military. The main and only current contributor of the countries oil needs is Azerbaijan, though this link is tenuous at best and cannot be relied on.

The old port of Anaklia is currently being rebuilt as well - it is hoped that it can be used for supplies and for maybe gaining some aid from Greece, since the amount of either, coming through small villages, is fairly small in the present.

Military

Mi-8 in the Georgian countryside

The Federation of Georgia has also been able to hold and maintain most of the ex-Soviet equipment it was able to salvage and maintain after Doomsday. It accounts for around 12% of Georgia's GDP and is for the most part a well maintained force, albeit lacking in new equipment, though efforts to change this are ongoing.

The Georgian Land Forces are organized into seven infantry and three artillery brigades and the current strength of the Land Forces is roughly 48,600 soldiers. The Coast Guard has a personnel of about 500 men and women, which were employed in keeping the several small boats of the Coast Guard running today. The Air Force is currently in total disrepair and is experiencing a major restructuring effort by the government. The number of planes is around 22, although one-half of those are completely inoperable, while the number of Mi-8 helicopters is 13, of which seven are still in use. Active personnel numbers around 2,000.

The National Guard of Georgia was established soon after Georgia declared independence and is manned by volunteers. It represents the first Georgian armed formation, which became the base of the foundation for modern Georgian Armed Forces. The Guard has actively participated in the conflicts that has occurred in Georgian territory after Doomsday.

International Relations

Due to the nature of Socialist Siberia regarding other surviving successors to post-Soviet states, Georgia is barred by them from joining the League of Nations. It is hoped that this will change at some point in the near future.

Georgia holds very good relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, but their efforts at mediating the conflict between the two have as of yet been refused by Azerbaijan.

Their worries about Turkish expansion have also led to their diplomats being more active in the Greek Federation as well.